The Reporter
by Shanna Ola Deora
Summary: Lois abushes Clark into doing an interview with the Young Justice team after the world finds out about the team. During the interview with Conner, Clark comes to realize the unfortunate truth.


Hey everybody, I've recently got a new laptop so I have yet to transfer all my files. I don't know how long it'll take till I do that but just remember that I'll do it as quickly as I can. Thanks for everyone's patience.

Okay, so I've decided that I'll do a little one-shot with the Young Justice team. I'm not really a big fan of Superman, he's a complete idiot. Moving on, it's about when Superman comes to Mount Justice under the alias of reporter Clark Kent to receive interviews from the team for the Daily Planet on Lois Lane's orders. Clark and Robin are friends and Clark is also known as Uncle Clark to our little bird boy, but whilst Clark is in an interview with Conner, Superboy reveals his feelings about Superman and how he wants Superman to be there for him, like a father. And then Clark makes a decision. I can't reveal anything else at the moment.

Hope you like it!

…

"No, Lois."

Lois Lane pouted, "aw, c'mon Smallville! This is big! What with your inside scoop, we can find out all about out mini-Justice League and the Planet will be the only ones with an exclusive!"

Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Planet and Metropolis's resident Superman, shook his head. "I told you Lois, I'm not doing it."

Lois huffed, swinging her hair over one shoulder and turning away from the Boy Scout. She bit her lip and decided to resort to her final measures. She turned back to face her boyfriend.

"Fine, I'll just have to send Kat. I wonder what stuff she could stir up for Superman if she managed to get an interview from the one and only Superboy," She sighed miserably. "Can't possibly end up any worse from when she managed to snag that interview with the Flash."

Clark barely managed to contain his shiver. That wasn't practically a memory he wanted to remember. Barry had had a fit once he read the article, claiming he hadn't actually said anything about Wonder Woman's crush on Batman, or that Bats was in fact interested in Superman more romantically than Wonder Woman.

Which he wasn't.

Clark didn't want this blown out of proportion, or to brand Superman's name as a neglector. He was just having trouble getting over the fact that he had a clone. A Clone!

"Fine."

"Oh, and Olsen's coming with you!"

…

"We're what?"

Wally West (aka, Kid Flash) exclaimed upon Red Tornadoes announcement.

"We're going to be interviewed Kid Idiot!" Artemis couldn't resist hitting him upside the head. "Keep up."

Wally, in turn, scowled and rubbed the back of his head. "I got that bit, but why?"

Robin couldn't help but cackle at his friend, "it was your Uncle's idea. He said the public should get to know us, and what we do, a little better."

"I thought we're supposed to be covert?" Conner asked uncertainly.

Robin nodded thoughtfully, "they had a hard time convincing Bats, but he agreed in the end, with some coaxing from a certain Amazonian Princess."

Kaldur just watched on uncertainly as Megan squealed her agreement and the others spoke loudly on the subject. Finally, he voiced he doubts.

"How do we know we trust whoever this reporter is?"

Noting his friends fallen faces, Robin intervened. "Close friends of the League, duh! I've met them a couple of times whilst in Metropolis, and my dad's friends with the reporter. He's the most reliable of the bunch, you'll see. Mild-mannered Clark Kent has nothing to hide."

_Recognized Guest 01, Guest 02_

The first one to step out of the zeta beam was a red-headed, freckled young adult who was clutching a top-of-the-range camera which hung round his neck. He gazed wide-eyed at the cave, and was shaking off the strange tingling sensation that the zeta beam brought. He wore a button up sleeveless top with a bow tie and faded jeans. He also had a faded brown messenger bag hanging by his hip. His appearance seemed slightly miss-matched to the heroes, but Robin continued to smile like he knew the man.

The second to appear was dark haired man with light blue eyes and thick geeky glasses. He was bigger than the other man and seemed to be middle-aged. His broad shoulders were dropped slightly and he wore a smart black business suit with a dark purple tie. He seemed to be unaffected by the zeta transportation, but the team saw him adjust his glasses uncomfortably.

Red Tornado stepped forward to greet the two men. "Team, this is James Olsen," the red-head waved. "And Clark Kent."

The second just nodded, his lips slightly pulling upwards.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

…

"So, Miss Martian, is it?"

"That's me!" She answered confidently.

"Lots of people wonder if you the Martian Manhunter's daughter…"

"Oh no, I'm his niece, my Uncle only has sons."

"Why did you decide to come to Earth?"

"Well…"

…

"Atlantis?"

"That is right."

"Do you miss your home? How has life been coping for you above water?"

"Indeed I do, it was very hard adjusting to a different lifestyle…"

…

"So, you're faster than a speeding bullet?"

"You bet!"

"Are you faster than the Flash?"

"We think I will be one day, but if you ask me, I already am…"

…

"You've been working with the Batman in the shadows for so long, how do you think you're adjusting to a team?"

"It's easier than I expected, the villains are actually a lot easier to take down than Gotham's, but I had to learn how to be in a team. Before, Bats and I didn't need to speak to know what the other was thinking…"

…

"According to sources, you're Green Arrow's niece?"

"What about it?"

"Erm, nothing. You're the newest edition to the team, how do you view your team members?"

"Aqualad is calm. Kid Flash is annoying. Miss Martian is chipper. Robin is too freaking mysterious and Superboy is mental…"

…

Clark Kent ran his fingers through his hair; the interviews had been far more stressful than he thought. And he still had one more interview to go.

He picked up his coffee and entered the living room to sight of Jimmy and Kid Flash playing a new game on the Gamestation, the other team members laughing at the sight. Except Robin.

"You alright?"

Clark jumped and turned to face the young boy he had seen grow up over the last four years. "Right, I forget you can do that. You seem far too much like Bruce."

Robin grimaced, "in a good way, I hope."

Clark chuckled and nodded. They had both seen Bruce go off the deep end, as Bruce Wayne and Batman. It was never pretty.

They both turned back to the scene of the team and Jimmy enjoying themselves, all transfixed on the game.

"You don't have to worry, Uncle Clark, he'll forgive you."

Confused, Clark turned to the little bird, but he was no longer there.

Shaking his head, Clark went to join his co-worker and the team.

Maybe this trip won't be so bad after all.

…

Clark adjusted the notepad carefully on his lap, his pen twitching nervously in his hand. He sipped his coffee slowly, glancing at the clock which read seven forty-five. Conner would be here soon, he noted.

When Clark had finished the brief sketch of a bat on his notepad, there came a knock at the door. "Come in."

He straightened up slightly as Conner walked stoically into the room. The boy nodded to him slightly before taking a seat up in front of the reporter.

Clark smiled nervously. "Pleasure to meet you, Conner. Do you have a surname?"

Conner nodded stiffly, "oddly enough, it's the same as yours."

Clark, who had brought his coffee to his lips, chocked. Mumbling apologies as he tried to wipe the warm coffee off his front, he ignored Conner's strange looks. "That sure is a coincidence."

Conner just nodded.

"Now," Clark started, forcing his lips into tight smile. "Your friends all have secret identities, other than Aqualad, but would you prefer to just be known as Superboy, or would you like just your first name featured?"

"Superboy." Was the curt reply.

Clark sighed inwardly in relief. "Your friends have given me brief underlies of their past, other than Robin, of course, but do you have any interesting parts that you'd like people to know?"

"Not really."

"Many people have been told that you're a clone of Superman, is that true?" Clark faked casual curiousness.

Superboy nodded passively.

"I was created by CADMUS labs as a complete genetic copy of Superman, should Superman fall or be unable to complete his duties to the world for any reason, I was to take over."

"But?"

"But I met Aqualad, Robin and Kid Flash; they made me see that I had a better purpose in life, so I trusted them and broke them out of their holds. They let me see the moon and the stars, and I realized that I didn't have to become Superman in the end because the world had a Superman; I needed to follow my own destiny and not the one that CADMUS had laid before me. I'm my own person and I can create my own legacy. I may be Superman's clone, but I'm nothing like him." At this, Conner looked up into Clark's eyes and smiled. "I'm me."

Clark watched on, stunned at the intensity of the speech, he had felt the emotions hit him, but the only one he could feel; guilt.

Then he smiled back, "thank you Conner."

Conner looked confused, but nodded and left. Clark was left to his owns thought's, and now he realized.

As much as it had affected himself it had affected Conner twice as much.

And now he was going to set it right.

…

Jimmy Olsen continued to tap the controller, "it's not working!" He yelled.

"Ha! I'm going to beat you Olsen!" Wally jumped off the sofa, inches from the screen.

"NO!" Olsen slumped in defeat as Wally's race car reached the finish line before his. "Aw, man. Wait till Miss Lane finds out about this; I'll be a laughing stock of the office."

The teenage superheroes laughed.

"I won't tell if you don't."

Jimmy turned around, "Mr Kent! Have you finished all the interviews?" At Clark's nod, Jimmy hoisted his camera up. "We got tah take the photo were no one can find clues on where you secret HQ is. Wouldn't want no badies to stumble across the paper and recognize the place, now would we?"

Clark smiled, "you never usually think of the consequences Jimmy, I'm surprised, you definitely haven't been hanging around Lois lately, have you?"

"Nope, after she pulled me into that Gotham corruption story last year, I've been keeping my distance. Glad Superman came when he did." That got the heroes attention.

"You've met Superman?" Megan asked innocently.

"Oh, yeah, loads of times, great guy! Though I think it's just because the guy has a crush on Miss Lane, too bad she's taken, huh, Clark?" Jimmy waggled his eyebrows at Clark, who just rolled his eyes at him.

"Jimmy, it's just because Lois is a firm supporter of Superman, not to mention that she's pretty much a danger magnet. She quite literally goes looking for trouble."

Robin gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling, "Lois always was interesting, it got us into trouble on our many escapades, but it's never a dull moment. She's nice."

"You knew her?" Artemis asked, slightly surprised, which bemused Robin a bit. I mean, he works with the Goddamn Batman!

"Of course," Robin shot her a strange look.

They stopped in a large room, which gave no indication on their whereabouts and had a fair bit of darkness so their faces would be shaded and obscured. "Okay, you stand here! Nope… To the side a bit. Yes, you stand at the back there…. Leader, front and center. Perfect!"

Olsen stopped and stepped back, grinning at the effect; then he snapped the picture.

"Oh, how mysterious," Olsen laughed. "That's got to be one of my best."

Clark looked at the time, "Jimmy we've got to go if we want to make the deadline tomorrow."

"Right!"

Aqualad smiled and walked with the duo back to the zeta beams, "come, it doesn't seem right to leave you to let yourselves out. It was a pleasure."

After they had left, Megan turned to the team. "They seemed nice."

…

The next morning Batman arrived to the cave, via zeta beam, and approached the Teen of Steel. "Superman wants to see you, now! Dress in civvies, you're meeting him at his work place."

Conner jumped up, he no longer wanted to impress the Man of Steel, but he wanted to know why he wanted to speak to him after so many mouths of being ignored.

He felt the familiar whirlwind of his body particles been split into thousands of tiny pieces, before he finally met the unfamiliar sight of a rooftop. He looked up and gaped slightly. Just above him was a giant golden spinning globe with word spinning around; THE DAILY PLANET.

"Quite unnerving, isn't it?"

Conner turned to face an unfamiliar, but beautiful woman.

"I used to wonder how it stayed upright; I thought gravity could keep everything down. I was wrong though, but that was before anyone knew Superheroes existed. I used to think it could collapse at any moment, and there would be no one there to save us. Again, I was wrong. So very wrong; there have always been Superheroes, we just didn't see them because we didn't want to believe they were there. It's like the old saying, 'if you can't see it, it don't exist.' But the air exists, right? Just because we can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there!"

"But we can feel it," Conner contradicted.

The woman nodded approvingly, "you're right!"

She turned to the balcony of the building, now looking away from the giant globe and setting her sights on the city, leaning her hands on the railings. "Who are you Conner?"

Conner's eyes widened, slightly surprised that this stranger knew his name. "I'm me." He answered simply.

She nodded, "more than that! What do you stand for?" Her voice took on a more forceful edge.

"Myself." Conner's temper was rising.

"And so brings back my original question; who are you?"

Conner paused, thinking about who he was. "I don't know."

The beauty in front of him nodded, her brown eyes fixed onto his blue ones. "Just because you can't see yourself, doesn't mean you aren't there." She spoke softly; her eyes seemed to gaze right into his soul.

"I don't get how that makes me who I am."

"That's just it Conner, you can't see who you are because you can't see yourself. You can't see what you stand for." She realized she had confused the boy so she elaborated.

"Hope."

And suddenly, Conner knew. Every hero inspires hope, meta or non-meta, doctor or police man, but if they don't know who they are it gives them doubt and in return, makes the citizens doubt them in return; which leads to corruption and loneliness.

"So, do you understand now?"

He nodded.

"Why are you telling me this?"

She smiled and gave him a light hug, "you don't have to be lonely anymore."

"Because you no longer doubt yourself,"

Conner turned to the voice and came face-to-face with Clark Kent; but it was a different Clark Kent than the one he had met yesterday. This Kent stood straighter, his shoulders were no longer slumped, his gaze was so much more confident and didn't seem like he was going to knock anything over like the clumsy Kent he had come to know.

But the biggest difference was his glasses; they were no longer there, and his face looked so much like…

"Superman?"

Superman smiled, "I believe you've been having trouble flying."

Superman put forward his hand, smiling at the teenager. And the teenager smiled back, taking his hand.

As the pair shot up into the sky, circled the globe and went racing off into the distance, Lois Lane smiled, bringing up the article and reading the last line to herself.

"_If there was one thing these special teenagers taught me, it was that there's a hero in everyone; but only if you're willing to search for it."_


End file.
